Is Doordash A Good Side Hustle? [Benefits & Drawbacks Reviewed]

Are you seeking a flexible side hustle with the potential for good pay?

Look no further! DoorDash, a popular food delivery service, offers an attractive opportunity to earn extra money and be your own boss.

In this blog post, we’ll explore what DoorDash is all about, discuss its benefits and challenges as a side hustle, and reveal strategies for maximizing earnings.

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Is Doordash A Good Side Hustle?

DoorDash is a popular side hustle alternative that offers individuals the opportunity to become independent contractors and make extra money by delivering meals from local restaurants to customers.

From the customer’s perspective, it connects them with their favorite local restaurants. Launched in 2013 as PaloAltoDelivery.com, the platform allows users to conveniently order meals through their website or smartphone app, making it easier than ever for people to enjoy restaurant-quality dishes at home or work.

How does Doordash work?

As part of its innovative business model, DoorDash relies on independent contractors known as Dashers who play a crucial role in getting the orders from restaurants to the customers’ doors.

These drivers use their DoorDash driver app to receive and take on deliveries. When an order comes in through the DoorDash app, Dashers nearby receive a notification with details about the location of both the restaurant and customer.

It epitomizes the side hustles that rely on apps in the way it functions. Other delivery apps include Amazon Flex, Instacart, and Uber eats.

Understanding DoorDash As A Side Hustle

You can become a dasher in your free time to make money with DoorDash.

With full control over when you work, you can establish your own schedule within available time slots on the DoorDash app – this means you can determine when you work.

It also allows you to make more money should you choose to by, for example, working longer hours or going for deliveries during peak hours.

If you want to start a side hustle where you work without a boss and whenever you want, this model is perfect.

DoorDash Earning Potential And Payment Structure

The earning potential on DoorDash depends on factors like base pay per delivery (which can vary), any additional promotional or peak pay incentives currently offered by DoorDash, as well as tips generously provided by happy customers.

How much does DoorDash pay?

The average pay is about $15 to $25 per hour. However, the hourly pay can be lower than that if you come from an area with few deliveries.

That said, $100 per day in DoorDash earnings is doable.

As an independent contractor driving for DoorDash, you have complete control over your own schedule – working as many or as few hours as desired – which affects your actual earnings. Here is the payment structure:

Base Pay

Base pay is the guaranteed earnings you will get and is determined by time, distance, and ‘desirability.’

If a delivery requires you to travel a longer distance, take more time, and take an order that is not as popular, you will have a higher base pay.

The base pay mostly falls between $2 to $10 or more.

Customer Tips

In addition to the base compensation for each delivery completed using the DoorDash app, customer tips also play a significant role in overall earnings.

You can get tips from customers thus increasing your earnings. One advantage of getting tips is that you keep 100% of all customer tips you receive.

Customers may tip as they place an order during order checkout or they may tip after the delivery if they chose to. Customers can also give cash tips.

Promotions

To further boost your earnings potential with DoorDash’s flexible side hustle opportunity, you can take advantage of promotional pay offers such as challenging quests or peak hour incentives that offer extra money per delivery when certain conditions are met.

Peak Pay: DoorDash will offer Peak pay when it is busy, allowing you to earn extra money. It is added to the total earnings shown when you are accepting a delivery.
Challenges: Another promotion that DoorDash offers is “Challenge Bonuses”, where you are incentivized to complete a set number of deliveries within a specific time frame in order to earn an extra cash bonus. You also need to meet other applicable qualifications included in the challenge offer.
Guaranteed Earnings: It is a pay incentive for select Dashers to earn at least a specific amount within a set number of days (not including tips, challenge payments, and referral payments).

Referral bonus

DoorDash has a referral program that pays you when you sign up new Dashers.

Referral bonuses vary depending on the location while some markets don’t even offer these bonuses. The amount you get paid as a bonus also changes often, which means that you should check to see exactly how much a bonus is.

In order to get paid the referral bonus, your referral has to join DoorDash with your link and complete a set number of deliveries within the specified time period.

When you sign up a referral with your link, the app will track their progress. You can see how many deliveries they have completed from your app.

Benefits of DoorDash as a Side Hustle

DoorDash is an excellent side hustle for anyone looking for flexible hours, good pay, and additional income opportunities.

With its easy sign-up process and various perks for drivers, it’s no surprise that so many people are turning to this delivery service as a reliable source of extra cash.

Benefits of DoorDash as a side hustle include the flexibility to create your own schedule and work when it’s convenient, the opportunity to earn additional income beyond a full-time job, and autonomy as an independent contractor.

Let’s discuss some of the advantages of working with DoorDash:

Flexible Scheduling

One of the biggest benefits of driving for DoorDash as a side hustle is its flexibility. As an independent contractor, you can set your own schedule and choose when you want to work.

DoorDash lets you work whenever you want, making it an ideal choice for you if you need a side job that fits with your other commitments.

This makes it easy to fit delivery driving around other commitments, such as a full-time job or school schedule. For example, if you have spare time in the evenings or weekends, you can work those hours on DoorDash for some extra cash.

Similarly, if someone needs to take time off due to personal reasons or vacation plans, they have the freedom to do so without worrying about missing out on shifts or paychecks.

You Can Make More Money If You Want

Driving for DoorDash can be a great way to supplement your income and make some extra cash on the side.

The amount of money you make as a dasher depends on the number of deliveries you make and the tips you receive from customers.

You are in charge of your earning potential. Therefore, if you want more money, you can put in more hours and take on more deliveries.

On top of that, DoorDash offers various promotions and bonuses throughout the year that can increase your earning potential even further. During peak times or in certain locations, you may be offered “peak pay” which adds extra money to each delivery made during those times.

You Have Control Over How You Work

As an independent contractor, you have the freedom to choose which orders you accept and when you work, giving you more control over your schedule and workload.

One of the biggest benefits of working for DoorDash as a side hustle is the independence it offers. As an independent contractor, you can set your own hours and decide when you want to work.

You also have control over the routes you take and the orders you accept, allowing you to prioritize what works best for you.

Plus, since DoorDash pays weekly via direct deposit, you don’t have to worry about waiting on a bi-weekly or monthly paycheck from an employer.

There are Tips, Promotions and Incentives

DoorDash regularly offers promotions and incentives to drivers, such as peak pay during busy times or bonuses for completing a certain number of deliveries in a set period.

Challenges of DoorDash as a Side Hustle

Although DoorDash offers a great opportunity for extra income, there are a few challenges that drivers should be aware of. These include:

Inconsistent Earnings

This fluctuation can make it difficult to rely on DoorDash as a consistent source of income.

One of the biggest challenges of driving for DoorDash is the potential for inconsistent earnings.

While some days may be busy and profitable, other days may result in little to no earnings. This can be frustrating for drivers who rely on a steady stream of income from their side hustle.

The amount of money a driver makes depends on several factors, including the number of deliveries they make and how much customers choose to tip.

That being said, there are strategies that can help you maximize your earnings and minimize the impact of inconsistent pay. For example, efficient time management and strategic route planning can help you complete more orders in less time, which can increase overall earnings.

Furthermore, taking advantage of promotions and incentives offered by DoorDash can provide an additional boost to earnings during slow periods.

Wear And Tear on your Vehicle

Using your personal vehicle for DoorDash deliveries can cause wear and tear on your car or truck.

Wear and tear can come in the form of increased mileage, frequent stops, and varying road conditions. Therefore, as a delivery driver, your vehicle will experience more wear and tear than it would with everyday use.

To minimize wear and tear on your vehicle as a DoorDash driver, consider taking efficient routes to avoid unnecessary driving. Be mindful of traffic patterns during peak delivery hours and plan accordingly.

Properly maintaining your car may be costly but is essential for ensuring optimal earnings with DoorDash over time.

By being aware of potential wear-and-tear concerns ahead-of-time when delivering with DoorDash, you can proactively preserve the health of your personal vehicle while maximizing earnings with this flexible side hustle opportunity!

Safety Concerns

One of the challenges of driving for DoorDash is safety concerns. As a delivery driver, you will spend a lot of time on the road, often in unfamiliar areas.

DoorDash requires drivers to operate their vehicles and deliver food in sometimes unsafe neighborhoods or areas with dangerous driving conditions. This can increase your risk of accidents and other dangerous situations.

To minimize safety risks while driving for DoorDash, it’s important to take precautions such as locking your doors and windows when parked or idling at delivery locations, avoiding late-night deliveries in high-crime areas if possible, and staying alert and focused while driving.

Overall, while safety should always be a top priority when working as a DoorDash driver or any gig worker job but these simple steps can help mitigate some potential risks.

Some Clients are Not The Best People

From our experience, a majority of customers are good people who tip generously and are considerate.

However, since you are dealing with a wide variety of people, you are bound to find a few who are perhaps having a bad day and the experience may be less than ideal. In such cases, exercise patience and avoid escalating even if it means you will get a bad rating or an unwarranted customer complaint.

Additional Costs

Drivers need to factor in the cost of gas, insurance, and sometimes parking into their expenses.

It’s also important to regularly maintain your vehicle to ensure it stays reliable while making deliveries.

How to Maximize Your Earnings With DoorDash

To maximize your earnings with DoorDash, efficient time management, strategic route planning, building strong customer relationships, and taking advantage of promotions and incentives can make a significant difference.

Efficient Time Management

To maximize earnings as a DoorDash driver, manage your time efficiently. One effective strategy is to plan the best route for each delivery to minimize driving distance and save time.

You can also use the DoorDash app’s scheduling feature to choose the busiest times in your area and prioritize orders from popular restaurants during peak hours.

Strategic Route Planning

To maximize earnings as a DoorDash driver, plan delivery routes strategically. This means combining orders from restaurants that are close together to avoid wasting time and gas money driving back and forth between locations.

You should also be mindful of traffic patterns and rush hour times when planning routes, as this can significantly impact delivery times.

Another key aspect of strategic route planning is prioritizing high-paying orders or those with generous tips first, especially during peak hours when there may be more demand for deliveries.

By focusing on these orders first, you can increase your overall earnings for the day.

Build Strong Customer Relationships

Another way to maximize earnings with DoorDash is by building strong relationships with customers. This can lead to repeat orders and higher tips, which ultimately increases your overall earnings.

Drivers who provide excellent customer service, such as being friendly and delivering food promptly, are more likely to receive positive reviews from customers.

In addition, drivers should take advantage of the notes section in the app where they can communicate directly with customers about their preferences or special requests.

For example, a customer may want extra sauce or prefer their burger without onions. Fulfilling these requests shows that the driver cares about providing a quality experience for the customer and can lead to higher tips and ratings.

When you have loyal customers who like your services, they are likely to request your services again and recommend you to their friends, which can lead to even more business opportunities in the future.

Combine DoorDash With Other Delivery Apps

You can join another delivery app like Uber Eats along with DoorDash to complete more deliveries per hour and increase your hourly earnings.

During peak times, you can take on a DoorDash order along with an Uber Eats order if they are both in the same direction if it won’t affect your ability to deliver on time.

Take Advantage of Promotions and Incentives

To maximize earnings with DoorDash, drivers should take advantage of the various promotions and incentives offered by the company as we discussed above.

These can include peak pay for delivering during busy hours, bonuses for completing a certain number of deliveries within a specified time frame, or referral bonuses for recruiting new drivers to the platform.

Conclusion: Is DoorDash A Good Side Hustle?

Yes, DoorDash can be a great side hustle option for those looking for flexibility and the opportunity to make extra money. If you have a valid driver’s license, it is a side hustle you can manage without quitting your job.

While there are challenges such as inconsistent earnings, you can maximize your earnings by efficient time management, strategic route planning, building strong customer relationships, and taking advantage of promotions and incentives.

With DoorDash’s easy sign-up process, various earning opportunities including peak pay and promotional bonuses, it’s no wonder why it has become a popular choice among delivery drivers.

Before you leave

If you’re tired of scams and want a real solution for making money online check out my no.1 recommendation.

It’s helped me earn over $300,000 in the last 12 months alone:

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David Fortune

David Fortune has been the editor NoBSIMReviews.com since 2019. He is an expert at writing content on stock advisory services, side hustles, reviewing online business opportunities and many more topics. You can learn more about David on our about us page.

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